Black and White
by Skymouth
Summary: An experiment gone wrong in Section 13 has greater consequences then Captain Black or Jade had ever imagined. Now Jade is twenty years older and wiser and in love, how can Captain Black convince Jade to give that up before Jackie and Uncle return home?
1. Default Chapter

Black and White  
Part I  
Brenna "Snakelady" Dawkins  
A Jackie Chan Adventures Fanfic  
  
Rating: PG-13 Disclaimer: Jackie Chan and subsequent characters belong to Jackie Chan and associates. It'd be pretty useless to sue me since I have nothing! I've made no profit nor will see any from this fic.  
  
Summary: An experiment gone wrong in Section 13 has greater consequences then Captain Black or Jade had ever imagined. Now Jade is twenty years older and wiser and in love, how can Captain Black convince Jade to give that up before Jackie and Uncle return home? J/CB  
  
"Oh come on, I've been in much more dangerous situations, Jackie! You gotta let me come with!" Jade pleaded her uncle.  
  
"It's not that, Jade." Jackie said mildly, "You've missed too much school already because of the talismans. This week of tests is too important for you to miss. You don't want to repeat fifth grade, do you?"  
  
"No." Jade said feeling a little pouty. But she didn't want to miss the latest adventure either. "I learn way more stuff going out on your adventures then I do staying in school."  
  
"Nevertheless, you will be staying here at Section 13 while we are away. Captain Black has agreed to look after you." Jackie told her.  
  
Jade put her hands on her hips, "He doesn't know anything about looking after a kid."  
  
"He's strict." Uncle said approvingly. "I doubt you would be able to pull the wool over his eyes."  
  
"He's no fun." Jade looked around to make sure the man wasn't in the room to hear. "And besides, he's too busy running this place to have time to look after me."  
  
But Uncle and Jackie were firm and that was that. Jade was to stay at home, well, she'd make Section 13 her temporary home anyway--- again. At least she had her Gameboy with her. If Captain Black wasn't such a stick-in-the-mud, Section 13 would be a paradise for a girl like her. Of course, it still was paradise, just her secret paradise. She'd let Captain Black think she was following the rules, to give him less reason to watch her, then just when he thought she was being the good girl, she'd give him the slip. Jade had done it before and knew someone as busy as Captain Black wouldn't know what to look for like Uncle Jackie might.  
  
She grinned at that as she sat on her bed and pulled out her Gameboy from her backpack. It would pass the time until she could find a window for her escape. If Uncle Jackie thought she'd sit by complacently for his return, then he was crazy!  
  
Her door opened and she saw Captain Black stick his head into her temporary room. "We'll be testing some top secret equipment in a bit. I'm afraid you'll be under lock down for a few hours. Do you need anything for the duration?"  
  
Jade perked up at the mention of 'top secret equipment' and 'testing' but did her best to put on her mildest poker-face. "Maybe a pizza?" Captain Black had no idea how to talk to a kid, she mused. Let alone, deal with one.  
  
That unamused expression that she knew so well spread upon his face. "How about a sandwich instead?"  
  
Her innocent look never wavered, "Sounds dandy!"  
  
Captain Black hesitated at her amiability. He was familiar enough with her past antics to know that this was not the norm for her. But he had a schedule to keep, and as long as she wasn't causing any trouble, then he wasn't going to worry about it. "I'll have one of the assistants bring it out to you. Then you'll be locked in here for about three hours. There is a washroom beyond that door." He pointed. "And this is the intercom," he pointed to the small box mounted on the wall next to the door. "Use this ONLY if you have an emergency."  
  
Jade sighed inwardly, but nodded pleasantly. Captain Black closed the door and Jade put down her Gameboy. If she couldn't go out with Jackie and Uncle to have an adventure, there was NO WAY she'd miss one so close to home! She just had to figure out how to get through a locked door. Sure, no problem. Jade scowled. She hurried to the washroom and lifted the cover off the toilet back and removed the chain that attached the floater to the lever and hid it in her pocket. Replacing the cover carefully, she hurried back to her bed and pretended to play her Gameboy.  
  
True to his word, it wasn't long before her door opened once more and an assistant came in carrying a tray with what looked like a peanut butter sandwich and a glass of milk. Jade smiled pleasantly enough though she wanted to roll her eyes. She wasn't five years old!  
  
"Oh, before you go, I think there's something wrong with the toilet. It won't flush." Jade told the young man.  
  
The assistant placed the tray on the side table and paused, looking torn between completing his duties in the lab and aiding in the comfort of their guest. "Um, I'll take a quick look." And he disappeared into the washroom.  
  
Jade's grin widened. She quickly pulled back the covers on the bed and slipped her backpack under them. Then she yanked the covers up high, covering the pack completely. She was going to bet that such a simple trick would work on a very busy assistant. There, she paused just a moment to take in her handiwork. Pathetically easy, but it was perfect. She nodded then darted out the open door.  
  
"I fixed the problem temporarily," the assistant was saying as he came back into her room. Then he noticed that she was sleeping soundly in her bed and covered his mouth. Tiptoeing out, he hurried back to his more important duties.  
  
Meanwhile, Jade slunk around the building, trying her best to keep to the shadows. She could hear where the action was taking place and made her way there as fast as she could. It had to be the coolest thing in the world to be able to play with all that top secret stuff and get paid for it, she thought to herself. It wasn't fair to ask her to always sit by and miss all the good stuff!  
  
When she finally made it to the room, she slowly peaked in. There was Captain Black, seeing over everything as usual. Sternly giving out commands. She watched this quietly for a while, letting it all sink in. Then she spied what had to be the experiment and her eyes lit up.  
  
"Give me full power to transporter one." Captain Black barked.  
  
Transporter? Jade's eyes went wide, cool!  
  
"All green here, sir." One of the technicians replied in response.  
  
"And transporter two?"  
  
"Ninety percent, sir. Well enough for what we're looking for."  
  
Captain Black shook his head, "No. Not good enough! If it isn't at least ninety-five percent, we'll fry the connections."  
  
"It'll take at least another hour, sir." The assistant complained.  
  
"This problem should have been solved already!" Captain Black shot back, "You have fifteen minutes!"  
  
She watched them scurry about the platform like mice and itched to be out there amongst the controlled pandemonium. She wondered what the problem was and what possible differences it could make. What were they using to test upon? Then as if to answer her question, Captain Black was barking orders once again.  
  
"Why isn't the test subject out on the platform yet? What am I paying you people for, anyway?" There was more scurrying about and a cage appeared on the platform by an anonymous assistant. "Need I remind everyone that this is our first complex biological subject. I don't need this to be screwed up, gentlemen! A setback now could mean months of preparation wasted. I don't need any more unexplained overhead cost!"  
  
That caused disconcerted muttering from a few of the harried assistants. Jade had no clue what was going on, just that things were not going as Black had planned, obviously. Inching closer to the action, she made her way to the cage. She had to see what was in it. It was easy enough to go about unnoticed. Everyone was too preoccupied to notice an inquisitive grade schooler lurking just under their noses. Which was just fine with Jade.  
  
Crawling over the last few feet from behind, she ducked around the side of the raised platform the cage was set upon. She could hear shuffling coming from inside the cage. It had to be an animal, she guessed. Her head popped up in line with the floor of the cage. There was a monkey in there. They were going to transport this poor animal using faulty equipment? No way! She wasn't going to let them experiment on that poor, helpless monkey. Jade checked around her, making sure she still wasn't noticed, then reached up and fingered the flimsy mechanism that held the cage door shut. The door swung open and Jade tried to silently encourage the creature out of the cage with sweeping movements of her arms towards herself. But the monkey just sat there staring at her.  
  
"Up to ninety-four point six percent on transporter two!" An assistant informed Captain Black. The machinery started to throb.  
  
To which the Captain growled, "Just a bit more! It's not that much to ask, is it?"  
  
Jade knew her time to get the monkey out of there was running out. So she reached in and grabbed the monkey's lanky arm just as she heard one of the assistants declare they were past ninety-five percent. The monkey protested at Jade's treatment and complained while trying to pull away from her. She muttered under her breath as she pulled. The loud pulsing sounds from the machinery easily drowned out the sounds of the commotion on the platform.  
  
"Come on, stupid monkey! I'm trying to help you!" She whispered fiercely at it and pulled that much harder.  
  
"We got green on transporter two!"  
  
Captain Black sounded pleased, "It's about time! Let's do this! Sync coordinates!"  
  
"Coordinates are in sync!"  
  
Jade yanked on the monkey's arm and the monkey chattered angrily at her then to her surprise, bolted. She ducked as the creature nearly flew over her head and out into the lab.  
  
"Activate transporter!" Captain Black commanded.  
  
Jade watched as the monkey disappeared.  
  
Captain Black caught the motion out of the corner of his eye. What was that? He glanced at the cage and saw the door was open. How---? Then he spotted Jade staring off into the distance.  
  
"NO! Abort the experiment! Abort it, I said!" He grabbed onto the closest assistant.  
  
But it was beyond recall. Captain Black could only watch in horror as the transporter sprung to life with Jade leaning up against the platform. A flash of light bathed the room and when it was gone, so too, Black noted, was Jade.  
  
To be continued--- 


	2. Chap II

Black and White  
  
Part II  
  
Brenna "Snakelady" Dawkins  
A Jackie Chan Adventures Fanfic  
  
Rating: PG-13 Disclaimer: Jackie Chan and subsequent characters belong to Jackie Chan and associates. It'd be pretty useless to sue me since I have nothing! I've made no profit nor will see any from this fic.  
  
Summary: An experiment gone wrong in Section 13 has greater consequences then Captain Black or Jade had ever imagined. Now Jade is twenty years older and wiser and in love, how can Captain Black convince Jade to give that up before Jackie and Uncle return home? J/CB  
  
Captain Black swore angrily. He'd have the head of the assistant that left Jade's door unlocked--- but only after they got Jade back safely.  
  
"Why did she not immediately reappear on transporter two's platform?" Black demanded hotly.  
  
"We lost her pattern--- there was a problem with the fact that we just didn't compute her into our figuring. We programmed the transporter to transport a monkey--- not a human."  
  
"There's only a two percent difference!" Black loomed over the assistant who was speaking.  
  
The assistant nervously shook his head, "Maybe so, but that doesn't account for the difference in body weight and size."  
  
Black ground his teeth. Now was not the time for accidents! Especially one as major as this one! "We programmed the thing to have a memory, so just have transporter two talk to transporter one and get the variables! Bring her back!"  
  
"It isn't that simple, sir." The assistant hated to say such a thing to someone who could sign his pink slip.  
  
"Like I care! Do what you have to do to get Jade back here unharmed!"  
  
And with that, the lab saw a flurry of activity as the lab techs hurriedly made computations and crossed their fingers that during the rush, no fatal flaws were over looked. Meanwhile, Captain Black paced behind them. A threatening presence and a reminder that failure was never an option. No one wanted to disappoint Black. And no one wanted to find out what would happen to them if they couldn't get Jade back. It was hours later until the assistant who drew the shortest straw from the lot was sent to Black with their final figures. Black glared at the hastily scribbled notes and then glared at the assistant who flinched.  
  
"You sure?"  
  
The assistant wordlessly nodded. Black tossed the notes back to him.  
  
"Then get it done!" He growled.  
  
With Black's approval, the computer was reprogrammed with the new information. Why did he allow a child to live in Section 13 in the first place? This was no place for a kid, especially one as inquisitive and intelligent as Jade. It was his own fault. He'd felt responsible for getting the Chan's mixed up with the Dark Hand and it had snowballed from there. He sighed. And now Jade was paying the ultimate price.  
  
The sound from the machine drowned out Black's reflection and he anxiously watched the platform of transporter two as the assistants confirmed that all systems were go. The light flashed blindingly once more and Black shielded his eyes with his hand. When he lowered his hand and anxiously peered down at the transporter platform, he was relieved to see a figure sprawled there. He hurried down to the platform base and was followed by an assistant who had some medical knowledge.  
  
Once he got to the platform, he stopped short, unprepared for what he saw. There was definitely someone on the platform, but he couldn't confirm whether it was Jade or not.  
  
"Jenga, check her out!" Black barked at the assistant that had followed him.  
  
The young man nodded and went to the individuals side. Black knelt and visually inspected the female. She was unconscious. She was also Chinese and Black guessed her to be in her early to mid thirties. Who the hell was she? He wondered.  
  
"Where is Jade?" Black demanded, his voice hard and the glare was back in his eyes. "And WHO is this?"  
  
"I-I-I don't know, sir." Jenga replied nervously as he checked her vital signs. "But she's alive."  
  
"And what about Jade? Is she still alive?"  
  
Jenga opened his mouth to say something, then thought better of it and just shook his head. He had no idea.  
  
"Can she be moved?" Black asked.  
  
"I don't see why not." Jenga answered.  
  
"Then move her out of the way, get her to the medlab and we're going to try the transporter again to get Jade back!" Black informed them.  
  
Jenga gently picked up the unconscious woman and carried her with care to the medlab. There were two more techs there waiting to attend to her needs. Meanwhile, Black had the other assistants back to reconfiguring the equipment. He wasn't going to rest until they brought Jade back home safely. He silently made her that promise.  
  
Hours later found no further success. Black's temper had seen better days and everyone's patience was wearing thin. Black was working on his sixth cup of coffee when Jenga returned from the medlab.  
  
"She's awake."  
  
That got Black's attention. "Good. Maybe we'll get some answers then!" He made his way back to the medlab with Jenga again in tow.  
  
The young woman was on a hospital gurney. She had striking looks despite the hoses the techs had inserted up her nose and the drip in her arm. Black raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Is all that stuff necessary?" He asked.  
  
"Just to be on the safe side." Jenga said.  
  
The woman moaned and shifted on the bed. Her eyes fluttered open and it was clear she was trying to figure out where she was.  
  
"Hello." Black said, trying to sound pleasant despite all the current stress. It took effort.  
  
The young woman turned her head to see who was speaking to her. Her eyes seemed to light up when she saw Black. "Augustus!" She said, still smiling.  
  
That shocked Black into speechlessness. How'd she know his name? He didn't recognize her. He'd remember someone like her.  
  
"But you look like you did before---"The woman's confusion was just as clear.  
  
Black wouldn't be distracted, he had to find out who this woman was. "Who are you?"  
  
"Are you angry at me? Trying to make me think you don't know me?" She asked upset.  
  
"No, I'm not angry at you--- yet." Black replied stonily.  
  
Black's cell phone rang. He fished it out of his pocket and glanced at the number displayed and swore again. It was Jackie. Not the best time for this!  
  
"Black here." He answered it, turning away from the young woman. "The usual thing around here. Jade? Um, she's not in at the moment." Pause. "Don't worry about it, Jackie. I'm taking care of things." He didn't like lying to Jackie, but he didn't plan on letting his friend down because of one of his mistakes.  
  
He exhaled as he hung up.  
  
"Was that--- Uncle Jackie?" The woman asked.  
  
Black spun around. "Okay, that's enough! Who are you?"  
  
She looked up at Black with big, frightened eyes, "I'm Jade Chan."  
  
That got everyone's attention. Black stared. Those features, the jaw, the eyes, Black was a believer. The young woman was Jade.  
  
"Jade. Do you remember what happened?" Black asked.  
  
"Remember what?"  
  
Black sighed. "Do you remember anything?"  
  
She shook her head.  
  
"Well, that's just great." Black muttered unhappily. Then jumped as he felt her take his hand. "What are you doing?"  
  
"I do remember about us." She said.  
  
Black couldn't move, "What are you talking about?"  
  
"After the accident that killed Uncle Jackie, you got sucked into a demon door. It was two decades before we were able to get you out again. I'm confused. I thought you were talking to Uncle Jackie on the phone, like old times."  
  
"Dead?" Black asked deadpanned.  
  
The woman who claimed she was Jade nodded silently, staring up at Black, still holding his hand with both of hers.  
  
"Get me a DNA test here. I want to know for sure this is Jade." Black demanded.  
  
"Augustus, what's happened?" She asked him.  
  
"I'm not sure." Black said truthfully. "But we'll straighten it out somehow."  
  
To be continued--- 


	3. Chap III

Black and White  
  
Part III  
  
Brenna "Snakelady" Dawkins  
A Jackie Chan Adventures Fanfic  
  
Rating: PG-13 Disclaimer: Jackie Chan and subsequent characters belong to Jackie Chan and associates. It'd be pretty useless to sue me since I have nothing! I've made no profit nor will see any from this fic.  
  
Summary: An experiment gone wrong in Section 13 has greater consequences then Captain Black or Jade had ever imagined. Now Jade is twenty years older and wiser and in love, how can Captain Black convince Jade to give that up before Jackie and Uncle return home? J/CB  
  
Black realized that she was still holding his hand. It made him uncomfortable--- if it WAS indeed Jade Chan, what did she think she was doing? He suddenly felt awkward and pulled out of her grip gently. As an excuse for his extraction, he went over to the lab techs.  
  
"Well? Is she, or isn't she?" He badgered them. God, if she wasn't, he was certain that Jade would look like that when she grew up. He didn't realize that the little kid could grow up into someone so very attractive.  
  
"The DNA test confirms it--- she is Jade Chan."  
  
Black pressed his fingers to his temple wearily. Then he turned and looked into the young woman's face. "So, you are who you say you are." What happened to the child Jade, he wanted to know.  
  
Jade propped herself up on her elbows and stared back at him, "I have a feeling I'm not supposed to be here."  
  
Black exhaled, "Got that right."  
  
"This IS Section 13?" She asked, already having a feeling it was, but wanting confirmation.  
  
Black nodded, "Yes. Now what's this story you spin about Jackie being dead, me being trapped in a demon portal, and you--- and I, um, well, being together?"  
  
"But it's all true! It was Shendu's fault! Jackie was helping us distract Shendu, then you and Valmont saved me from getting pulled into the demon door by Hzi Wu. He wanted me to be with him forever 'cause he was lonely. But an explosion from I'm not sure where hurled you into the demon door. Valmont was barely able to hang onto me to keep me from going in there as well."  
  
Black blinked, "Valmont? What?"  
  
Jade sighed, "Valmont defected to our side. Once Shendu was excorsized, that is. I guess he realized that if Shendu had his way, there would be nothing in it for him in the end." Jade noted Black's speechless gaze and decided to continue. "Shendu killed Jackie soon after and Valmont and the remnants of the Dark Hand looked after me. We worked hard looking for a way to get you back. And we did. You hadn't aged the whole time in that demon dimension. Then, as time went by, well, you and I got close--- real close." She said the last softly, a smile touching her lips at the happy memory.  
  
Black could feel a flush coming up to his cheeks. He shook his head in frustration. It was too fantastic to be true! This had to be some sort of a trick conceived by Valmont--- it HAD to be! He had no idea how, this whole magic business took his mind for a loop.  
  
"Can you lot leave us for a while?" Black asked the assistants. They eyed one another then quietly left Black and Jade alone. Captain Black was beside her once more. "Look, I can believe you and me being--- together before I can even begin to believe that Valmont turns into a good guy."  
  
"I admit it's all a bit hard to imagine." She says slowly. But sits up straighter.  
  
"Yeah." Black grumbled. Then froze as he suddenly found himself in a constricting embrace, his arms bound by hers. Her black hair smelt like shampoo. It's scent hit him hard since she had her face buried against his neck. It was a few moments before he could will his heart to start beating again. The flush in his cheeks came back. "Listen, Jade." He said as gently as he could, "We may be together in your time, but in my time--- you're still a little girl. I--- can't do this now. Do you understand?"  
  
He felt her shake her head stubbornly and hug him tighter. Black inwardly groaned. She was gorgeous. But when he looked into that woman's face, it wasn't long before he saw the child's face he knew so well that his brain automatically superimposed over it. And even more frustrating was the fact that his body was responding in a way that he didn't want it to. Black fought against the urge to wrap his own arms around her. He was surprised at how much of a challenge it was.  
  
"Jade, please---"he asked evenly, hoping he wouldn't have to hurt her feelings.  
  
But Jade didn't let him go, she held on just as tightly as before and pressed her face deeper into his neck. She daringly lipped a tendon. "But I love you!"  
  
Doing his best to try to ignore the sudden heat he felt from that one, sensuous contact, his mouth uttered words that he suddenly didn't feel so strongly about anymore. "Jade, you love the Captain Black of the future." Sad, but true, he thought to himself. But it wasn't right for him to attach himself to this Jade. He'd be taking advantage of her. His strong sense of right and wrong usually made things so easy--- there were never any gray areas. You did things a certain way to get certain results. But suddenly, things didn't seem so linear anymore. "I'm the Captain Black who never lets you have any fun, remember? The boring old man who never let you play with any of the experiments."  
  
"But I'm grown up." Jade persisted, her voice muffled since her mouth was pressed up against Black's neck.  
  
He could feel her warm breath and the hairs on the back of his neck stood as her lips moved in speak. He sighed. It wasn't fair. "Yes, you're grown up, but as you said, you don't belong here. We have to get young Jade back."  
  
"But I don't WANT to go back."  
  
"Jade--- Honey, what would Jackie do?"  
  
He heard her sob against his neck and he was sorry he said that, recalling that Jackie no longer existed where ever she came from. She was silent for a long time and Black decided to give her that time.  
  
"Jade?" Black whispered and decided to let himself hold her. He slowly let his arms wrap around her shoulders.  
  
"I suppose you'd say 'no' if I asked if we could make love?" He heard her say.  
  
That brought a surprising stabbing urge below and Black hated at how he hesitated in answering her. And much to his chargin, she took note of that hesitation.  
  
"Why are you fighting against it?"  
  
Black considered pulling away from her, but couldn't bring himself to do it. "I told you, it isn't right. The Jade I know is only eleven."  
  
"I am obviously NOT eleven." She kissed him on the neck again.  
  
For a moment, Black entertained the image of him being with the elder Jade in such a way. It brought a heat into his body that wasn't at all unpleasant. He imagined the intense pleasure that would bring, to the both of them. Then he considered the aftermath. Would he be able to let her go? She'd be even more attached and reluctant to leave so that the young Jade might not ever return. He was responsible for Jade during Jackie's absence. What kind of guardian would he be if he did such a thing? How could he look at himself in the mirror, or even at younger Jade again if he did such a thing. He wondered if Jade even considered what would happen after. Most likely--- not.  
  
"I can't, Jade. No matter how enticing the offer is." Black finally admitted.  
  
She pulled out of her embrace partially, enough so that she could look at him. Jade studied his face quietly, he could see the tears in her eyes and hated that he was the cause.  
  
"I'm sorry Jade." He said honestly, gently.  
  
She leaned forward so that their lips were only millimeters apart. Black froze again, staring into those eyes that were so familiar to him and yet filled with the heat of lust--- for him. Jade moved in suddenly and kissed him.  
  
To be continued--- 


	4. Chap IV

Black and White  
  
Part IV  
  
Brenna "Snakelady" Dawkins  
A Jackie Chan Adventures Fanfic  
  
Rating: PG-13 Disclaimer: Jackie Chan and subsequent characters belong to Jackie Chan and associates. It'd be pretty useless to sue me since I have nothing! I've made no profit nor will see any from this fic.  
  
Summary: An experiment gone wrong in Section 13 has greater consequences then Captain Black or Jade had ever imagined. Now Jade is twenty years older and wiser and in love, how can Captain Black convince Jade to give that up before Jackie and Uncle return home? J/CB  
  
Black found himself responding to Jade's deep kisses with a few of his own. She was an excellent kisser and Black forgot himself and at that moment, didn't care. He stood there, embracing her and kissed her with a hunger he rarely fed. But when he felt her hands dive between his boxers and felt her fingers brush up against his pubic hair, he suddenly came back to his senses and stumbled back, releasing her but her hand remained stuck in that compromising position.  
  
Black was trying to catch his breath and cursed himself for that moment of weakness.  
  
Jade tried to drag him back to her by pulling on his waistline, "We're lovers, Augustus. There isn't anything wrong with that!"  
  
Black took a few more deep breaths to clear his head, glanced down at the hand that promised exquisite pleasure, then up at Jade's pleading eyes. "I'm not YOUR Black. Please, Honey, wont you understand that?"  
  
She tugged on his waistline again, and damnit! Now he had a hard on! The animalistic part of him wanted to go over to her and give in to her demands. He had needs of his own too! Black grunted but stood his ground, despite her efforts to bring him closer, and despite his own base urges.  
  
"I can't." Black repeated and gently reached down and removed her hand from the confines of his pants.  
  
Jade bit her lip, tears threatened. "I hate you!" She covered her face with her hands and sobbed.  
  
"I don't hate you. I just want you to understand that it would be wrong." Black said sadly. "I need the young Jade back. Don't you want to go back to your Black? I bet he's worried for you. And Valmont too." He couldn't believe he said that last one.  
  
She snuffled into her fists and did her best to blink her tears back, "I guess. But can't I wait until Jackie comes back? I miss him so much! I need to see him again. Please? I wont ask you to make love to me anymore, okay? Please?"  
  
Black sighed heavily. It was getting harder and harder to look into those eyes. The half that wanted to give into them was trying to weaken the other half, and if he looked into those eyes, he could feel himself slipping. He couldn't afford to make that mistake, no matter how fantastic it would feel to make love to her.  
  
"Honey, you know you can't." Black almost whispered. He caressed the top of her head.  
  
She pressed her hand on top of his. "I don't hate you."  
  
"I know."  
  
"Let's do this." Jade tried to sound stronger then she felt. "Let's get your Jade back."  
  
Black smiled. "Okay. Spoken like a true Chan."  
  
Jade tried to smile back but failed. She slid off the gurney, but forgot about the hoses.  
  
"Ow!"  
  
"Sorry, about that. Let me help you here," Black worked at removing the hoses and such.  
  
She loved the feel of his touch against her skin. She knew he wasn't her Augustus. But he was going to be. Jade supposed she'd just have to be satisfied with that. She stood and resisted the urge to give him another big hug, lest she forget herself and start to kiss and grope him all over again. But she did take his hand and she smiled when he squeezed hers with his own.  
  
They began the walk back to the main lab where the transporters and assistants were waiting.  
  
"Jade, if you could tell me how Jackie died, well, I may be able to stop it from happening. Then you'd have him in your time."  
  
She hung her head and felt ashamed that she didn't want to say. The way the events had gone forward after Jackie died had to happen that way for her and Black to be together. She didn't think that if Jackie survived, Black would want to be with her.  
  
"Jade?"  
  
"Just--- thinking." She said simply. Then she decided that it would be better to have Jackie around, then to not have him and have Black. After all, if Jackie survived, she'd never know she was SUPPOSED to be with Black. But even so, that part hurt her and after all she had gone through, she wondered if she deserved to be a little selfish. And besides, if Black knew the truth, he'd get angry.  
  
"About us?" Black guessed and saw her nod guiltily. He squeezed her hand again, "You might not know about us if Jackie survives, but I will." He smiled at her even though she was staring at the floor.  
  
"But by the time I'm old enough to be with you, you'll be too old."  
  
Black sighed again. "Just tell me how Jackie dies, please."  
  
"Promise you wont get mad at Jackie?" Jade asked.  
  
That was a weird request, Black thought, then shrugged and nodded, hoping to hurry the explanation along.  
  
Jade heaved a sigh and then spilt the beans, "Shendu found out about-- - well, about Jackie and Valmont."  
  
Black stopped walking and had Jade face him, "What do you mean?"  
  
Jade nervously scuffed the ground with her shoe, trying to figure out the best way to tell Augustus. "Jackie and Valmont were together, um, like the same way you and I were together."  
  
Black stared dumbly at Jade. "Wait, Jackie? Valmont? I--- I--- didn't know Jackie swung that way. Why didn't he tell me?"  
  
"'Cause he thought you'd get mad."  
  
Black had not been prepared for this. "Why would I be mad at Jackie if he, well, felt that way about guys?"  
  
Jade shook her head, "He doesn't. Only about one in particular. That's why he thought you'd get mad, 'cause it's with Valmont."  
  
Black had been suspicious of Valmont's nature all along, but he took Jackie's shyness as just part of Jackie's personality. The fact that Jackie liked men didn't bother Black one bit. Jackie was his friend. Probably his closest friend. It didn't matter to him which way Jackie swung. But---  
  
"Why Valmont?" Black didn't realize he spoke that last.  
  
Jade was worried. "Are you mad at Jackie?"  
  
Black shook his head, "Of course not! I'm just upset that he didn't think he could confide such a thing to me."  
  
"I told you, 'cause it was with Valmont."  
  
"But why Valmont?" Black insisted. "Of ALL people!"  
  
"I don't know. Ask Jackie. Just make sure that Shendu doesn't find out. Shendu killed Jackie to punish Valmont."  
  
"And that's why Valmont joined us? That's why he and the Enforcers looked after you?" Black surmised.  
  
She patted Black's hand that clasped hers with her other hand, "Yes. Valmont does a good job in pretending hostility towards Jackie, doesn't he?"  
  
"Sure fooled me." Black muttered tiredly.  
  
"It's okay, Augustus. Well, now you know. Remember, you asked."  
  
He nodded. "Well, let's go." They started walking again towards the lab. Once in the lab, he had her stand on transporter two, next to the opened cage which shared the platform with her. He stood beside the platform and looked up at her. "Thanks, Jade."  
  
She managed to smile finally. "You're welcome."  
  
"Start it up." Black ordered his assistants.  
  
The machine roared back to life and Black stepped back, recalling how just being next to the thing was enough to become affected by the field. They really had to work on localizing that.  
  
"Green on one and two." An assistant called out from behind him.  
  
"Remember, I want an exact reversal of what happened the first time!" Black barked.  
  
Everything was set and tweaked and the light filled the room again as the transporter worked it's magic. Once the light died down, Black anxiously looked at the platform on transporter two. No one was there. When he looked at transporter one's platform, there was someone there. A smaller form then older Jade. He hurried to the platform's edge and broke into a big smile to see young Jade there. Jenga was there once again and confirmed that she was fine.  
  
Relieved, Black leaned over and picked her up, cradling her in his arms and took her to the medlab himself with the medical assistants following him. They inserted the hoses and did a thorough checkup on her. Black was there beside her the entire time, making the assistants nervous, but they knew better then to tell him to leave.  
  
After she was declared unharmed, Black ordered them to leave. He stayed, pulling up a chair and sat there next to her. He wanted to be there for her when she woke, to find out where she'd been and if she remembered anything--- and to just look in those eyes and hope that that feeling he had around the older Jade would not be quite as intense.  
  
Finally, he noticed her slowly swim towards consciousness and eagerly waited for her to come fully awake. When she opened her eyes, she took a quick look at her surroundings and noticed the hoses up her nose and was confused and slightly scared.  
  
"Jade." Black touched her arm.  
  
She turned her head and he was humbled to see the fear leave her face as she saw him. He looked into those eyes--- they were the same, and yet not. Not quite as wise, not quite--- the same. It relieved him to no end. But it WAS Jade.  
  
"What happened?" She asked him and fingered the hose at her nose.  
  
"You had a little accident with the transporter. Do you remember anything?"  
  
She shook her head. "I--- I remembered letting the monkey out of the cage--- I'm sorry, but I couldn't let it get hurt in an experiment!"  
  
Black patted her arm, "It's okay. We'll deal with the monkey's jail break--- AND yours later. How do you feel?"  
  
She shrugged, "Okay, I guess. Can I get rid of these hoses? They're uncomfortable and I look ridiculous."  
  
Black laughed and helped her with their removal.  
  
She sat up. "Am I going to be in trouble?"  
  
Black smiled at her, "No. I'm just glad you're alright."  
  
"You know me! I can bounce back from anything!" She smiled wide with her teeth showing.  
  
"Well, it's due time I call Jackie for an update on his assignment."  
  
Jade was nervous, "You aren't going to tell him, are you?"  
  
Black raised an eyebrow, "Don't worry about it, okay, Honey?"  
  
Jade cocked her head. Black sure was acting weird. She escaped from her room, tampered with the big experiment, and Black wasn't yelling at her? AND she was going to escape punishment? Not to mention he called her Honey. But hey, why look a gift horse in the mouth?  
  
Black dialed up Jackie on the cell. "Hey, calling for an update." Pause as he listened to Jackie on the other end. "She's fine. She's right here." Pause. "Sure." Black handed her the phone.  
  
"Hi, Jackie!" Pause, "Yeah, I know. Don't worry! I'm fine! Next time you have to promise to bring me along though, okay?" Pause. "Yeah, here's Captain Black."  
  
She handed him the phone, and Black listened to Jackie for a moment. "Hey, Jackie, I'd like to talk to you when you get back, okay? You know, catch up on some things. No business, just friend to friend, okay?" Black smiled at Jackie's confirmation. "Okay. Talk to you later." He hung up and stood. "Hungry?" He asked Jade who hopped off the bed.  
  
"Sure."  
  
"Want to go out for some Mexican food?" Black offered.  
  
"Sure!" Jade said more enthusiastically.  
  
Black ushered her out, glad things turned out the way they did. He'd make sure he'd be a better friend to both Jackie and Jade. He didn't want to lose either of them. He silently made them both that promise. And if there was one thing Black was good at, it was keeping his promises.  
  
THE END 


End file.
